Working with other CAD systems
Creo Elements/Direct Modeling makes it easy to work with data from other CAD systems. You can save and load external data just like Creo Elements/Direct Modeling files. See Load or import files and Save or export files.
However, you must activate a module for most formats; some modules require a purchased license. See File types overview for a list of file types and requirements.
To activate a data import/export module,
1. Click > . The Modules dialog box opens.
2. Click the Data Interfaces pane.
3. Select and activate the module(s) that you want to work on.
 |
If you want to activate the modules that you want to work with for every Creo Elements/Direct session, click Startup to select the modules.
|
4. Click Close.
File formats and extensions
The following CAD systems do not require a third party license.
|
CAD system
|
Export
|
Import
|
|---|---|---|
|
ACIS SAT (V1.7-V8.0, 11-23), 2024.1.0 (R34sp0)
|
ACIS SAT files (*.sat)
|
ACIS (SAT) (*.sat;*.SAT)
|
|
IGES V5.2, V5.3
|
IGES (*.igs)
|
IGES (*.iges;*.igs;*.IGS)
|
|
Granite (V15 — V19). See the next table for compatible Granite, Creo Parametric, and Creo Elements/Direct versions.
|
Granite (*.g), Granite zip (*.g.zip), Creo Parametric/Direct Neutral (*.neu)
|
Creo Parametric/Direct (*.prt*;*.asm*;*.g*;*.g.zip;*.xpr)
|
|
STEP AP214, AP203
|
STEP (*.step;*.stp;*.STP;*.STEP)
|
STEP (*.step;*.stp;*.STP;*.STEP)
|
|
Inventor R11, V2008 to V2026
|
Inventor (*.ipt;*.iam;*.IPT;*.IAM)
|
|
|
SolidEdge V18.0 to V20.0, ST to ST10, and 2019 to 2026
|
SolidEdge (*.par*; *.asm*; *.PAR*; *.ASM*)
|
|
|
SolidWorks 2001Plus to 2026
|
SolidWorks (*.sldprt*;*.sldasm*;*.SLDPRT*;*.SLDASM*)
|
|
|
UG V13.0 to UG V18.0, NX V1.0 to NX V12.0, and NX 1847 to NX 2506
|
NX (*.prt*;*.PRT*)
|
|
Granite Version
|
Creo Parametric Version
|
Creo Elements/Direct Version
|
|---|---|---|
|
15
|
Creo 9.0
|
20.5
|
|
16
|
Creo 10.0
|
20.6
|
|
17
|
Creo 11.0
|
20.7
|
|
18
|
Creo 12.0
|
20.8
|
|
19
|
Creo 13.0
|
20.9
|
In the following table, importing and exporting files requires an add-on Creo Elements/Direct CAD Interfaces license.
|
|
You can find installation information about the CAD Interfaces in the Installation and Configuration guide, and detailed information in the following default path:
<Your personal installation directory>\Direct CAD Interfaces <release>\<interface name>\documentation\
|
|
CAD system
|
Export
|
Import
|
|---|---|---|
|
Creo 10.0, Creo 11.0, Creo 12.4
PTC suggests the following combinations:
• Creo Elements/Direct Modeling 20.9.0.0 + Creo 10.0 + 2020_64 plugin
• Creo Elements/Direct Modeling 20.9.0.0 + Creo 11.0 + 2021_64 plugin
• Creo Elements/Direct Modeling 20.9.0.0 + Creo 12.4 + 2022_64 plugin
|
Creo Parametric expert mode (*.anf-proe)
|
Creo Parametric expert mode (*.anf)
|
|
CATIA V4.2.x
|
CATIA (*.model)
|
CATIA (*.model)
CATDATA files (no specific extension)
CATEXPORT files (*.exp) (name dlv3 often used)
|
|
NX I-DEAS 6.9
|
IDEAS expert mode (*.anf-ideas)
|
IDEAS expert mode (*.anf)
|
|
SolidWorks (Parasolid V7.0-V36.1)
|
SolidWorks Parasolid (*.x_t, *.x_b) (ASCII) V7.0
|
SolidWorks Parasolid (*.x_t, *.x_b)(binary)
|
|
SolidEdge (Parasolid V7.0-V36.1)
|
SolidEdge Parasolid (*.x_t)(ASCII) V7.0
|
SolidEdge Parasolid (*.x_t)
|
|
NX (Parasolid V7.0-V37.0)
|
NX Parasolid (*.xmt_txt;*.x_t)
|
NX Parasolid (*. xmt_txt;*.x_t)
|
|
NX 2406 Series, 2412 Series, 2506 series
|
NX expert mode (*.anf-ug)
|
NX expert mode (*.anf)
|